Picking Your Perfect Sunscreen: Clearing Up the Confusion Around SPF

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We all know sunscreen is important. Not only can sun exposure damage our skin and cause it to show signs of premature aging, but it can also lead to pre-cancerous or cancerous growths. We also know that slathering yourself up for a beach day is kind of a no-brainer, but truly any day that we're seeing the sunshine (even if it's just on a trip to the grocery store) we should be using some kind of sun protection. And when I say seeing the sunshine, I don't just mean a beautiful, clear-blue-skies kind of day. Cloud cover can actually trap UV rays and intensify them, so your exposure actually increases when it's overcast. TLDR: if you're outside during the daytime, you need sun protection.

Still, many of us aren't consistent with our use of SPF. We know that the best way to protect ourselves is to make applying sunscreen a part of our skincare daily routine, but getting into the habit can be a bit of a challenge. For me, the biggest game changer was finding a sunscreen I actually enjoyed wearing and that worked well with my skin. The process of finding the perfect SPF is always easier when you know what to look for, so I'm going to attempt to clear up some of the confusion and give you a little more confidence the next time you stroll down the sunscreen aisle.

ULTA 21 Days of Beauty Picks

If there is one thing I love more than beauty products, it's saving money when I'm shopping for beauty products. One of my favorite times to stock up throughout the year is during ULTA's 21 Days of Beauty Event. Held once in the spring and again in the fall, you can score unbelievable savings on cult classic products for three full weeks! Every day has a new special offer, usually at 50% off, from some of Ulta's most popular high-end brands. Over the years I've discovered so many top-shelf, Holy Grail products through shopping this event and saved a ton of cash doing so.

Even though my beauty collection is not really lacking in any areas at the moment, I always get excited to see what each new 21 Days of Beauty event is offering. And honestly, when it comes to Spring 2017, Ulta may have just set the bar at an all-time high. Yes, there are a few products I feel like I've seen every single time (I'm looking at you Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes), but there are also a ton of fresh, new finds that have me thinking "SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY". Now, I know that shopping these kinds of sales can be a little overwhelming, what with everything being an incredible bargain. So I've rounded up some of my top picks to share with you all to hopefully help you narrow down your shopping list.

Subscription Showdown | January 2017

Oooh snap, it's FINALLY time for a throwdown! Both of my monthly beauty subscriptions came while I was in LA for Generation Beauty, but I'm home and ready to unbox (unbag?) them both for you all. If you're new around these parts, Subscription Showdown is a series I film over on my YouTube channel where I compare my Ipsy Glambag and Sephora Play box. Both subscriptions only cost $10 a month and contain 5 deluxe-sized samples that are tailored to your unique beauty profile. Over the years I've discovered so many amazing products through both of these services, so its hard to pick an overall favorite. Instead, I just take things month by month to let you know which one is my personal victor. Curious to see which of these subs stole my heart this month? Just 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.

Fall Haul First Impressions

If you guys saw my recent fall beauty haul, then you're already well aware that I've acquired a boat load of new makeup to review. Between a trip to the new NYX store in Union Square, goodies sent from a friend in the UK, and my own inability to restrain myself, I've ended up with a whole lotta loot. Life has been a little crazy lately, which ultimately translated to the majority of my new beauty ending up in a pile waiting to be loved. This weekend finally afforded me the opportunity to get some blogging hours in, and I stared at said pile feeling a little overwhelmed with my options. Where the heck should I even begin? And then I had a brilliant idea. Why not try it all and let you in on the process? I'm all about being real with you guys and sharing my honest thoughts on beauty. So why not capture my completely unscripted, entirely unpredictable first impressions on camera? Not gonna lie, filming this video was a whole lot of fun, and I don't think the look I created in the end was too shabby. So if you're curious to see how these new goodies worked out for me, keep on reading!

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!

Final Farewells: My Fall 2016 Empties

Friends, it's time yet again to go through my beauty trash. I love filming empties videos, but I also totally can see how strange the whole concept probably is to someone who isn't as immersed in the beauty world as my crazy self. Because really, who else hoards expired makeup and empty bottles?

In all seriousness, the reason I think empties posts are so awesome is that when you've used a product to the very last drop, you really know how you feel about it. It's like a relationship. In the beginning its all excitement and newness, and you're probably willing to overlook the little flaws and annoyances. But time goes on, and when the honeymoon phase is over you've either found yourself a beautiful partnership, or end up realizing that that product...er...person...isn't as awesome as you originally thought.

It's been a couple of months since my last empties round up, so I've got A TON of products to share with you guys. Did I find true love? Or was I already checked out of our relationship? If you want to know, grab yourself a snack, cozy up, and get ready for some real talk (beauty style).

All That Glitters: IT Cosmetics for Ulta Brush Set Review

I know what you're thinking.

"Really, Lauren? You're busting out the Christmas decorations already?" Trust me, I get it. It's a little crazy to start talking about the holidays when we haven't even gotten to Halloween yet, but before you give me the side-eye, I PROMISE you'll be happy to have the heads up on this one!

A few weeks ago when I was at Gen Beauty the awesome people over at IT Cosmetics gave me this new Ulta Exclusive brush set to check out before it launched online. Truth be told, I've been lusting after their brushes for years, and the only thing that's kept me from splurging on a set is sheer willpower. My rational brain knows I already own enough makeup brushes, but my beauty-brain is never satisfied. I want to try them all...ALL THE BRUSHES ARE BELONG TO ME (#nerdreference).

ANYWAY, this stunning set is finally available for purchase on the Ulta website, so I wanted to give you guys my thoughts in case you'd like to add it to your holiday shopping list (or wish list...you know I won't judge).

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!

Shop the Stash | Concealers

Hey friends! It's time for another shop-my-stash installment. For those of you who're new to the Little Blushing Birdie scene, I've been on a mission to sort through my makeup collection. To swatch, play, and rediscover old flames in an attempt to curb those urges to go out and haul more goodies. A few weeks back we delved into my bronzer collection, and today I'm busting out makeup's magical eraser. The eradicator of dark circles. The banisher of blemishes. The nemesis of redness. Yes, today we're chatting about the little miracle that is concealer.

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!

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.

Mini Ulta Haul

Who loves sale shopping? Lauren loves sale shopping. Is it true? Mhmmm. I do I do I do-ooo.

I don't get over to Ulta all that often because it's a little out of the way for me in my day-to-day wanderings, but last weekend I found myself in the area and couldn't resist poking around. If you've never been to an Ulta, it's basically like a beauty wonderland (complete with its own salon and a Benefit Brow Bar). Drugstore makeup, prestige makeup, hair styling tools, bath, body, skincare...you name it, you'll find it. Aside from the awesome selection, Ulta also always has coupons, special offers, and sweet gifts with purchase available to give you the most bang for your buck.

As I was shopping around I noticed that there were a TON of amazing sets for purchase, and it took a whole lot of will power not to buy any. It was also the very start of the Ulta 21 Days of Beauty Sale, which means every day for three weeks a different product will be on crazy discount for you to purchase. I'm thinking I might just have to do a "What's Hot at Ulta" shopping guide kind of post just to share with you guys all the amazing stuff that's available right now.

In the meantime, let me show you what I DID actually buy. I'm quite proud of myself for keeping my haul down to these four little goodies, and for only spending $17! That means I basically got everything here at a 50% discount (woop woop!). Let's take a closer look.

July 2015 Empties

Hello there everyone! I know I've been MIA for the past week, and it's been killing me because I have SO many awesome posts queued up that I seriously can't wait to finish writing. I honestly can't believe a week of August has already gone by, and I haven't even had a chance to finish up things from July! As anyone else who appreciates Ebaum's World flash cartoons would say, WTF, mate? Anyway, it's time for another round of digging through my trash-to-be. I skipped out on the empties last month because I was close to finishing a bunch of things, and now I've got a huge stockpile of plastic tubes and bottles to sift through. Here are some final thoughts on the most noteworthy products I've finished up in the past two months!

May 2015 Glambag

I know I'm a little late in the game with writing up reviews of all my May subscriptions, but it has been the craziest of months. Between working late and post-work commitments my free hours to blog have been sparse. I'm not entirely sure June will be much better, but here's to hoping!

The last subscription related post to cross off my list is my Ipsy Glambag. This month's theme was Jetsetter - offering a selection of products that are perfect for making you look great on-the-go, and that are also totally travel friendly. I think Ipsy actually did a pretty great job of selecting products that fit with the theme (which isn't always necessarily the case).

Mother's Day Makeover

Happy Mother's Day! I know it's a bit late in the day for well wishes, but I'm just now finally sitting down, relaxing, and have a moment to chat. Even though I'm not yet a mom myself, Mother's Day is one of my favorite holidays of the year. My mom and I have always been pretty close, and I really love having an extra excuse to do something special for her. Unfortunately we both have been pretty busy lately, so we had to keep things relatively simple this year. Our festivities involved going out for a delicious brunch and a mini makeover. While we were too impatient to take pictures of our meals before we dug in (eggs benedict were involved, I can't be held responsible), I've got plenty to share with you from our little beauty session. My mom and I dug through her makeup stash and picked out some of her most loved products to create a slightly glammed up version of her everyday look.

March 2015 Favorites

I can't believe March is already coming to a close! 2015 is seriously flying by, although I think my desire for warm weather has probably been responsible for some of it. I tried to keep my round up a little more manageable than last month's, although there are a ton of products that I've been testing and enjoying lately that I hope to be able to talk about soon. In the meantime, let's get down to business and take a closer look at some of the stand out products I've been using in the past month!

IT Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Celebration Palette Review

You spot a new launch in the stores. Maybe it's a killer pair of shoes. Maybe it's a perfect LBD. Or maybe it's a limited edition eyeshadow palette. You think to yourself, is this really worth paying full price for? Maybe it'll go on sale. Maybe it'll sell out before it goes on sale! It's a risky game to play. Buyer's remorse goes both ways, both in splurging on something only to find it 50% off a few months later, or putting off a purchase for a few weeks to come back and find your coveted item is no longer available. In the end I've learned to go with my gut. If it's something truly unique that I absolutely can't stop thinking about, then sometimes it's worth just taking the plunge and making the purchase. But (as is the case with this eyeshadow palette from IT Cosmetics) if you aren't going to lose sleep over not having whatever you're coveting, you've just got to walk away and say, if it's meant to be, it'll be. Lucky for me in this particular instance, meant to be it was!

This palette was in my hands while shopping at Ulta around Christmas time. Did I want it? Of course. Did I need it? For $42 probably not. So I sadly put it back on the shelf and walked away. And then one of my fellow Birchbloggers clued me in to a sale IT Cosmetics was having last week, and I was able to snag this palette for $20 with free shipping (wahoo!!). While the sale is over, there are still limited quantities of this palette available on the IT Cosmetics website if you're interested in purchasing it. But first, let me show you a closer look.