November 2013 Glambag

Apparently I can't help but to be fashionably late with writing my Glambag reviews. I always seem to receive them toward the end of the month, and by the time I've had a chance to try everything out the next month is already here. Hopefully in the future I'll be able to get my act together. In any case, for November Ipsy sent us a bunch of goodies to help us "Glam it Up" just in time for the festive holiday season.

I have to say, Ipsy really knocked it out of the park this month. Subscribers all got 6 items, one of which was a full-sized product from Michelle Phan's new line, em. And actually, all of the products I received were full-sized, and are either neutral or classic enough to use at just about any time of year.

Laura Mercier Artist's Palette for Eyes

When it comes to major beauty purchases (which in my book are typically anything costing more than $20) I'm usually not one to buy on impulse. Being the blogger type I often will read lots of reviews, watch videos, and make a very well educated decision on where I'm going to invest my money.

Once in a great while, though, I'll stumble upon a potential gem, and without any prior research splurge on a whim. Sometimes my rash decision is a poor one (and those are times when I'm very thankful for return policies), but sometimes it's unintentionally brilliant.

Prime example? My latest Sephora haul.

November 2013 Birchbox

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I don't think I truly started appreciating the 4 day span of a long Thanksgiving weekend until the past few years. As a kid Thanksgiving is a holiday without presents. As an adult I see Thanksgiving as giving me the best gifts I could ask for - a few days off from work to spend doing things I enjoy, an opportunity to cook and eat delicious food, and most of all, the opportunity to see people who make me happy.

So, before I get to cooking and other preparations for dinner later today, I thought I would savor these moments of getting to lay around in bed and take some time to finally review my November Birchbox!

Miracle 10 Retinol Treatment 30 Review*

Acne. 

It's one of those great annoyances that many of us are plagued with at some point in our lives. Be it as an awkward teenager, or as an overly stressed young adult, or maybe as a first time mom, it's an equally frustrating experience to go through. For me the battle began at the ripe old age of 11. As my body started cranking out hormones, my face started cranking out more oil than it knew what to do with and also a proportionate number of pimples.

Fall 2013 Shopping Spree

So...I may have gone a bit crazy with beauty shopping in the past couple of weeks. Between the sales and coupons and gift cards I had, it would have been silly to resist. I'm planning on writing more detailed posts reviewing all of the products I got, so be sure to check back most likely over the weekend when I have a chance to finish that project up. In the meantime, I did a quick (okay, so maybe it's not so quick) overview of my Sephora and Kohls hauls and my first impressions of the products I've tried so far.

Benefit Gimme Brow Review & Giveaway!

There are some people out there in the world who have been blessed with beautifully full, perfectly arched eyebrows.

I am not one of those people.

Fortunately for me, I can fake amazing brows with the right product. There are a lot of options out there - from pencils, to powders, to gels - and each has their own unique pros and cons. Ultimately my ideal brow product will do three things: define the shape, hold them in place, and still manage look natural. Pencils and powders can be great for adding definition, but they aren't always so great for keeping unruly hairs in place. A clear brow gel will keep everything looking neat, but won't do much to fill in sparse areas. Usually this means I have to resort to using at least two different products to take my brows from lackluster to luscious.

And then I discovered Benefit's Gimme Brow.

Birchbox has a special list serve for it's blogger community (lovingly referred to as their Birchbloggers) and will frequently notify us special contests and giveaways we can enter. A few weeks back there was a giveaway where 10 Birchbloggers were chosen to receive Benefit's new Gimme Brow to try out and review. Somehow I miraculously made the list, and last week this beautiful little package arrived in my mailbox!

Boston Adventures & NYX the "It" List

There honestly aren't enough hours in the day.

I especially feel this way on the weekends, which always fly by faster than I can comprehend. This weekend especially was no exception. I spent the better part of Saturday and Sunday running around Boston with some of my best friends sightseeing, making mischief, and eating many, many delicious things. I felt a bit guilty whipping out my phone every two seconds to take pictures (I know, I was "that guy" #sorrynotsorry...), but sometimes you just want to capture the moment.

I love my friends to death, and ultimately the time spent with them, my family, or anyone else who makes my world a bit brighter could not be put to better use. I do, however, also love blogging, and it makes me a bit sad that I can't always fit in as much time for it as I'd like.

October 2013 Glambag

So...

We're going to say that I'm being fashionably late by writing this post in November.

In all reality things got a bit crazy for me toward the end of last month, and my Glambag arrived right before I left for California when I didn't get to pay it as much attention as I would have liked.

So here I am, writing my review a few weeks later than intended. Better late than never, right?

October's Glambag theme was The Art of Beauty. I don't know if I'd call the products I received this month particularly artful (maybe because I'm interpreting artful as colorful), but they are nevertheless pretty awesome. I also love that I got a bag with so much variety. From hair, to nails, to lips, to skin this bag has got me covered from head to toe.

Halloween 2013 - Fawn Makeup

I suppose it may be a little late for a Halloween themed post, now that November is steadily underway, but I was so happy with how my costume came out that I felt the need to share. When Halloween falls during the week (which it has for several years now) my friends tend to celebrate the Saturday after the holiday, opposed to the weekend before. 

LBB's Holiday 2013 Gift Picks

November is finally here, and the Holiday shopping season is officially underway. I know that I wrote a post a few weeks ago highlighting a few early shopping favs, but I've found so many other amazing gifts that I just couldn't help myself from posting again. I love the variety that Sephora has to offer, so I mainly used their site to link what I found, but I know that many of these items are also available elsewhere.

Little Blushing Birdie Does LA!

Much to my dismay I have finally made my way back to the chilly East Coast. California was beautiful (and warm), and my trip there went by all to quickly. I knew I had palm trees in store for me, but I don't think that it fully registered until I woke up in Pasadena that there would also be mountains. And desert.

I don't want to bore you too much with the details of my travels, but I thought it would be fun to share a few pictures of the places I visited. I'd love to hear if you've seen any of them in person as well.

October 2013 Favorites

Hi everyone!

So I know it's a bit early in the month, but I've got a bunch of October favorites to share. I'm leaving for California tomorrow (squee!!), and I tried to take advantage of the free time I had this weekend to film. I made the executive decision to not take my laptop to the west coast with me, so I won't be writing any posts until after I get back. I will, however, be bringing my camera and my phone, so keep an eye on my twitter and instagram feeds if you want to see what I'm up to in sunny southern Cali.

I am also bringing my Kindle fire, with the intention of reading the entire Lord of the Rings Trilogy (it's been on the to-do list forever). We'll see how well that goes.

Anyway...beauty products!

LUSH Haul & Lord of Misrule Demo

I love LUSH.

I've loved it for so many years, and up until maybe 6 months ago or so could only visit it on special occasions, being that the closest store was over an hour away. But now they've finally moved in to my local mall, which is both super convenient and super dangerous at the same time.

I actually have contained myself very well, all things considered. I haven't made a LUSH purchase in quite some time. But then I was reading Estée's post about her recent LUSH haul and felt the sudden urge to take a trip to the mall.

October 2013 Birchbox

I'm so excited about my October Box. I got some really awesome products that I can't wait to tell you all about. This month's theme is Beauty Buzz. Birchbox wanted to share some of it's most celebrated, talked about and loved products with its subscribers.

Maybelline Color Tattoo Review & Look

Left: Fierce & Tangy, Right: Tough as Taupe

I have a lot of makeup.

One could maybe even say too much, but my inner beauty addict begs to differ. And even though it is awesome to have so many options to choose from, inevitably products get lost in the shuffle, becoming forever buried at the bottom of a drawer or makeup bag.

I try to make it a regular habit to go exploring though my stash in the hopes of rediscovering long forgotten hidden gems. And once in a while I'll get lucky and have the makeup equivalent of finding $20 in your winter jacket pocket.

My most recent new-old beauty product I've fallen in love with is Maybelline's Color Tattoo 24hr Eyeshadow. I had purchased the colors Pomegranate Punk (a frosted cranberry) and Fierce & Tangy (a vibrant orange) last year on a whim for Halloween, needing colors for a firey flame-inspired eye look. They did the job well, but were ultimately thrown in the eye shadow drawer, to remain unused and unloved since. As I've gotten more involved in the beauty blogger community, though, I've come across a ton of rave reviews for this product, so I had to give it a proper chance.

Little Red Lip

Every woman has to have one. It's the secret weapon you keep stashed in your closet until the time is right. And then when that cocktail party or date night arises you bust your little hidden gem and sport all of the confidence of a Parisian super model (or at least that's what you're aiming for).

The little black dress.  

It's one of if not the most classic wardrobe staple a woman can own. On general principle, I love dresses. In the summer especially I could wear a dress and sandals just about every day. But even for those of you who aren't as ridiculously girly as myself, being the owner of one stellar dress that makes you feel like a million bucks is truly a necessity. 

Holiday Shopping Preview

It's finally that time of year.

The leaves are changing. Boots and scarves are being pulled out of the recesses of many closets. Halloween stores are sprouting up all over, and every restaurant and coffee house is boasting pumpkin flavored delights.

But most of all?

The Holiday Gift Sets are starting to arrive.

ULTA Grand Opening Haul & September 2013 Favorites

I can't believe October is already here! I feel like it was just June a few days ago, and yet it's already time to start busting out the Halloween decorations.

I had some free time to myself on Sunday for the first time in ages, so I decided to film a video for you all! This time around I wanted to share my thoughts on my latest ULTA haul as well as my favorite finds from September. My most exciting beauty discovery from this past month was Mario Badescu skincare, which tote some really awesome natural and high quality products at reasonable prices. You can purchase their products online from the Mario Badescu website or in stores at select ULTA locations. Hautelook is also offering some Mario Badescu products at a special discount until Friday morning, so I definitely recommend checking that out as well!

September 2013 Birchbox

So, I know it's a bit overdue, but I finally had a chance to review my September Birchbox! As September marks Birchbox's 3rd anniversary, this month's theme was appropriately Heritage. Birchbox paid homage to it's loyal subscribers and brand partners in a variety of fun ways - from a special "Golden Ticket" esque giveaway, to this awesome tribute video. Here are my thoughts on the treats I got from Birchbox this month.

Pre-Wedding Beauty Boot Camp

Wedding season.

There was a time when I was oblivious to such a thing. Actually, for most of my life I could say that I had never even been to a wedding, let alone be involved in one. 

Then I turned about 23 and came to realize the alleged phase of life where everyone you know will start getting married and having babies is really, truly a thing.

I do love weddings, especially those of close friends. I mean, what is better than being served delicious food and drinks, dancing all night, and being surrounded by people you love? (Having an excuse to buy a new dress and get a mani/pedi?...okay, so maybe not better, but definitely an added bonus).

September 2013 Ipsy Glambag

This month's Ipsy Glambag is all about classic beauty. I've always been a huge fan of timeless style, so this bag definitely struck a chord with me. I got five makeup items (4 of which were full sized!!) that are versatile enough to go from retro to rocker.

Sephora Summer Sale Haul

Even though the weather has decided to get a head start on things over the past few weeks, it is finally officially the first day of fall! As much as I love the summertime, my inner New Englander does appreciate fall just about as much. From the changing leaves, to pumpkin everything, to apple picking, to breaking out the boots and sweaters and scarves there is a lot to look forward to over the coming months.

I have SO many things I have to share with you all. Right now I literally have about 5 different posts in progress - my September favorites, my Birchbox and Glambag reviews, a quick overview of the awesome haul I got at the Grand Opening of the new ULTA a few towns over, and my thoughts on the timeless red lip. I have had such a crazy week though, and this is the first day that I'm actually able to sit down and write. So...expect a lot of updates over the next couple of days as I'm finally able to wrap things up!

In the meantime, I have a long overdue review of my haul from the Sephora Summer Sale. A lot of these products are still available at the discounted price, so you may able to snag them if you are interested.

ULTA 21 Days of Beauty September 2013

Good morning my fellow beauty enthusiasts! Just a quick one today.

If you aren't receiving ULTA's mailers or e-mails, I wanted to make sure you all were aware that they are doing their 21 Day of Beauty this month! They offer this promotion maybe once per season, and there are always some really awesome steals. Each day for three weeks ULTA has a different product offered at a crazy discount. You can check out the calendar of events here. 

It's kind of tempting to go bananas and buy everything while the prices are so awesome, but as an exercise in self control, here are the few that I am most excited about:

Special Birchbox Offer for My Readers!

If you've been reading my blog for a while you'll know that I'm a huge Birchbox advocate. I've been a subscriber since May, and I honestly can't believe that I didn't find out about them sooner.

NYC Adventures and Birchbox Local

It's a perfectly cozy, uneventful Tuesday night (with the exception of the So You Think You Can Dance Season 10 Finale...kinda pumped about that), but after the day I had yesterday, staying in and snuggling up in my pjs is exactly what I need. I had the most AMAZING time in New York yesterday, but all that walking definitely wore me out!

Sick Day Saving Graces

So, I definitely did not get my labor day weekend off to a good start by getting myself sick. These past few days have been a bit rough. My job has a very strict attendance policy, so I've had to go in the past few days despite my general grossness. Fortunately I'm home for the night and finally have a chance to relax.

Every time I get sick and I'm lying around feeling stuffy and achy and generally miserable there are a few things that I've come to realize are absolute life savers. And as the cooler weather and subsequent flu season approach, I thought it'd be a good idea to share with you all what some of them are. Hopefully you won't be needing them anytime soon, but they're great to have on hand just in case you do!

Updates, Sales and Other Exciting News!

So, let me get the bad news out of the way first.

I may or may not be sick...And by may or may not be, I mean most likely am. Last night I was driving home from a friend's house and noticed my throat was kind of sore. I figured I was just a little dehydrated, so I drank a big glass of water and went to bed. Unfortunately for me, I don't think it was a little dehydration, as the angry scratchy pain only got worse to the point that it woke me up around 3:00 this morning.

Unable to actually fall back asleep I decided to grab a cough drop and peruse the internet for a while until I got sleepy again. I started working on the blog post that I put up earlier this morning, and then I surfed Facebook for a while.

And lo and behold, I stumbled upon something AWESOME!

Summer 2013 Favorites

I can't believe the summer is finally coming to a close. When you aren't someone with kids or who is going back to school themselves, it's easy to be in denial about the whole thing. The weather has still been warm and beautiful as ever, and there's a little part of me that wants to believe that it'll just keep going on forever....and then I'll walk into just about any store and see that everyone is already in full-out Halloween mode, and realize it's only a matter of time before I have to begrudgingly pack away my flip flops and sundresses.

But, instead of mourning over the passing of my favorite season, I figured it would be much nicer to celebrate the warmer months by recapping some of my favorite products from this summer.

August 2013 Glambag

I'm so excited about my Glambag this month! The shipping was a bit delayed, but it was well worth the wait. I got five awesome products, all of which were the ones I was most hoping for from the either/or categories.

Beauty Haul August 2013

If there is one thing that I pride myself on, it's shopping on a budget. I hate paying full price for something, and when I'm going to, there better be an awesome bonus or perk that I will get for doing so.

I have been trying to keep my general spending in check over the past few months, but I was able to splurge a little in August because I received a rewards card from signing up with AT&T U-verse. I spent some of that money on practical things, like groceries, but then decided to treat myself as well.

Birchbox August 2013

It's that time again!

I got my Birchbox last week and I finally have a chance to sit down and tell you all about it.  I have to say up front that I was a bit underwhelmed by this month's box. I didn't dislike any of the products in it, but I also wasn't super excited by any of them. Such is the luck of the draw with subscription boxes. Not every month is going to be amazing. Still, I do enjoy my subscription to Birchbox overall, and I think that have THE best rewards system to their subscribers out there. I also do appreciate the variety of products that they sample every month. And even with their sneak peeks the contents of your particular box are always a surprise (which I enjoy).

As always, if you'd like to try out Birchbox for yourself, a subscription is only $10 a month. If you use this link you will give me credit for referring you (and I will love you forever, not that I don't already :-p).

August 2013 Previews

I never used to enjoy the beginning of the month until I got myself willingly sucked into the beauty world. For the average person, the beginning of a new month often means mortgage payments, new billing cycles, and consequently a lighter wallet. But in the beauty world the beginning of the month means sneak previews for subscription box services, a new round of amazing perks and samples at most beauty retailers, and often the debut of fabulous and exciting new products and makeup lines.

I am really excited about everything this month has in store, so I definitely had to share the latest and the greatest in general beauty news and previews that I've come across.

July 2013 Favorites

Seeing now that August is a week underway, I thought it was about time to officially say goodbye to July and do a quick recap of my absolute favorite new finds from the month.

Garden Party & A Fresh Summery Makeup Look

It's Monday.

I'm not exactly thrilled that the work week has returned. I had such a lovely and relaxing weekend, and I really wasn't ready for it to end. 

A friend of mine threw a get-together on Saturday at her parent's house. They have a spectacular back yard. My inner photographer was seriously geeking out. Now, when I say spectacular, I mean complete with an abundance of picturesque plants and vegetation, a Koi pond (with mini waterfall, of course), a pergola, and an enormous vegetable garden. So, on top of being constantly inspired to take beautiful pictures, I also got to sit back and enjoy the beauty of nature with a glass of wine in my hand, surrounded by the company of good friends.

I can't really think of much else better in life.

So, without further adieu, here are some of my favorite shots of the day.

Birchbox for CEW Limited Edition Boxes

Happy Saturday beautiful people! The weekend is finally here and it could not have come fast enough. I've got some AWESOME stuff to share with you today, so get ready!

Last week Birchbox announced that they were teaming up with Cosmetic Executive Women to create two Limited-Edition boxes filled with product nominees for the 2013 Beauty Insiders' Choice Awards. One box showcased favorites from prestige brands, while the other had the best from drugstore brands. The Prestige box was sold for $18, and the Mass-Appeal box was $12, or you could purchase both boxes at a discount for $26.

Wish List - August 2013

What a crazy week.

I've been trying to stay off the computer at home, since I can't really avoid it at work, but it's so frustrating. I've got a whole list of topics that I can't wait to write about, but most importantly:

- Birchbox's Limited Edition CEW Awards boxes, and also Birchbox's fab customer service
- My July Favs
- Sneak Peeks for this month's Glambag
- My ballroom makeup-ing adventures

So please check back soon! I hope to be able to get writing this weekend.

In the meantime, I had to share with you a few things that I'm totally lusting after right now.

Quick Update

Hi lovelies.

A very quick update.

As life would have it, I've been having some carpal tunnel-esque issues with my hands/wrists/elbows/etc. which have been making it very difficult for me to use my computer or phone. I have SO much to share, but if I'm MIA for a little while, that would be why.

I did join twitter and instagram this week, so feel free to follow me if you'd like to hear my daily ramblings. With my previously mentioned issues I haven't been utilizing either of them too much, but hopefully that will change!

I hope to post again soon, but until then, stay gorgeous!
Lauren

Hautelook Summer Essentials Bag

Okay, as promised, here is the in-depth review of Hautelook's Summer Essentials Bag! I'm still in the process of trying everything out, so this may be a sort of post-in-progress.

This was my first ever purchase from Hautelook - a website (sort of like an online version of Nordstrom Rack) that features crazy discounted prices on high end and designer products. I saw this Summer Essentials Bag listed for $20 and I really just couldn't resist. They claimed it was over a $120 value of products, so it seemed like a pretty great deal to me. Several of the products were full-sized, or a generous deluxe sample size.

Catering and a Confession

Holy wow, I am exhausted. Second catering event ever tonight and my legs are feeling seriously jello-like. I didn't even work a whole shift and I'm dead. I think it's one of those things where, when you are going non stop you don't even realize it. It's only when you stop and sit down for a while that it hits you.

But before I crash for the night, I wanted to finish up this post!

I have a confession to make....I may or may not have turned "No-Buy July" into a "Buy-Less-Than-Usual July". There were a few limited time deals that were just too good for me to pass up.

Sigh.

Stressful Days and Self Care

Today was one of those days.

It's rainy and unseasonably chilly outside. Work was stressful and hectic. I had to go to the dermatologist to have a cyst removed from my head (and now get to sport some lovely sutures).

Not exactly the best Thursday ever.

But, there is one redeeming factor. I don't have anywhere to be this evening, and can finally take some time for a little R&R.

There is nothing better than treating yourself to a little TLC at the end of a less than perfect day. Sometimes you might get lucky and manage to have several hours of uninterrupted free time. Sometimes you may only get 15 minutes. Either way, I think it's really important both for your physical and mental health to practice good self care. You owe it to yourself!

July 2013 Ipsy Glambag and Beachy Waves Tutorial

Good morning world!

Happy Saturday :-)

I couldn't be happier that the weekend is here. I decided to celebrate by cooking myself a legitimate breakfast - scrambled eggs and blueberry pancakes (nom nom). I saw Wild Blueberries & Multigrain Pancake & Waffle Mix at Target earlier this week and couldn't resist.

July 2013 Birchbox

My favorite time of the month is here - my Birchbox has arrived! It's always so nice to have something fun to open when I get home from a long and stressful workday. Throughout the week I've had a chance to try everything out (with the exception of the Bobby Pins...they haven't matched an outfit that I've worn yet) and I'm pretty happy with all of the products I received.

OCC Lip Tars in Action and No Buy July

Anyone who knows me personally is aware that I'm a pretty saavy shopper - coupons, sales, special promotions - I almost never pay full price for anything, because, well, why should you if you don't have to? Unfortunately, though, buying something at a bargain is still buying something, and sometimes  buying anything that isn't a necessity just isn't an option.

The freedom of adulthood is a beautiful thing, and I would never for a minute take back my decision to officially "leave the nest". But such freedom does come with a price.

A large price.

Lazy Day Look & Free Sample Friday

I love the summer.

The heat, the sunshine, the longer days, trading in regular coffee for iced, shoes that show off my latest pedicure...everything about the summertime just makes me feel a little bit happier to be alive.

I think I'm in a little bit of shock that it's already July. The summer months always seem to fly by so quickly, despite my attempts to savor them as much as possible. As a birthday gift to myself I decided to take the 3rd-5th off from work and it has been FANTASTIC. I've already had a whole weekend's worth of time and it's still only Friday!

Benefit's Pretty Committee Available at Ulta!

I always think it's funny how you can stumble across something unexpectedly.

I've been trying to really get the pinterest account that I made specifically for this blog going. It takes a while to find quality pins!  I was looking up Butter London nailpolish on the Ulta website and lo and behold, I saw something amazing.

Ulta is carrying The Pretty Committee set by Benefit.

June 2013 Ipsy Glam Bag!

Good morning!

It's Saturday! (Finally)

I love Saturday mornings. Firstly, it feels SO good to be able to sleep in. (Yes, 8:00 is considered "sleeping in"...for me, anyway). And when I do decide to get up, I can make myself a cup of coffee, snuggle back up in bed, and drink it while I check up on my email, read my favorite blogs, and generally just have some quiet me-time before the craziness of the day has to begin.

I don't know what to say about this week. I think my lack of posts despite the fact that I have some awesome stuff to write about speaks for itself. Work has been extra stressful, and my free time post-work has basically been non existent. And even with all of my running around, and cleaning, and cooking I still have a very large basket of clean clothes that needs to be ironed, and a refrigerator that is looking sadly empty.

Ugh.

But, such is adulthood. Chores are never ending. That being said, I'm not going to keep postponing posting an update because I've got a million other things to attend to.

Monday I not only got in my recent Sephora online order, I FINALLY received my first-ever Ipsy Glam Bag. Ipsy is a company that was co-founded by Michelle Phan, a Beauty Guru who got her start vloging on youtube. Ipsy subscribers can create "looks" on their website, in which you share and describe a makeup, hair, or fashion style, link it to helpful video tutorials, and tag recommended products. For $10 subscribers also get a Glam Bag each month with products specially recommended for them. Ipsy also has special look"challenges", where you create a look that centers around a particular theme and product from the Glam Bag. Challenge winners get special prizes as well as have their look featured on the Ipsy home page.

Sample Subscriptions and My Birchbox for June 2013

In my recent exploration of the beauty world, I've finally be clued in on the concept of the sample subscription box. It seems that the craze has touched just about all areas of commercial goods, but somehow I managed to stay in the dark about beauty specific ones. For those of you who aren't familiar with the concept, companies are cropping up all over the web that allow you to purchase subscriptions where you are mailed a selection of deluxe samples of different beauty and lifestyle products. Subscribers are usually offered some kind of discount or reward to put toward buying full sized versions of the items they receive. Every company has it own unique range of offerings, and a price point to match. It's a really fun way to try out new types of products or learn about different or up and coming brands. After doing a little research I decided to sign up for two popular sites on the lower end of the price range: Birchbox and Ipsy.

So far I've received two Birchboxes and my first Ipsy Glambag is on its way. My May Birchbox has well gone to use, but since I just got my June Birchbox a few days ago I thought I'd share my goodies (and my first impressions on them) with you!

A little birdie told me...

Hi there!  I want to welcome you all to my new (and sort of first official) beauty blog! I am a lifetime lover of all things bath, body, and beauty related and can't wait to share my musings and discoveries with the world. By day I am a typical 8-5 office worker type. By night I am perusing beauty forums, playing with my embarassingly large makeup collection, reading about the latest and greatest tips, techniques, and products, writing reviews, and generally doing anything and everything I can to further my beauty education. I'm really hoping that with this blog (and my new camera!) I'll be able to put my own stamp on the beauty world, while hopefully inspiring others to explore and experiment right along with me.

So, by way of introductions, here are a few fun random facts about me. I'm sure that over time I will elaborate on them, but also feel free to post in the comments if you want to know more!